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Travel Revolution: Nissan’s Robot Companion Soothes Kids on the Go

I used to work in NYC and drive in to that hustle and bustle traffic world.  There were times that I took my infant son in to work with me….

Prince Philip Of Belgium Launches European Motor Show 91st Edition

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – JANUARY 10: The Nissan corporate logo is displayed at the 91st edition of the European Motor Show at Brussels Expo on January 10, 2013 in Brussels, Belgium.

(Photo by Mark Renders/Getty Images)

I used to work in NYC and drive in to that hustle and bustle traffic world.  There were times that I took my infant son in to work with me. For many  years, one of my biggest challenges of driving with my son, aside from the traffic jams,  was the inability to tend to him while I was driving.  This was  especially true when he was younger and had some bouts of crying.  I would come home and tell my husband that the back seat might as well have been a world away because no parent could reach their child to give him and bottle or pacifier that had fallen out of his mouth.  Nobody's arms stretch that long to provide comfort or assistance.   When my son was an infant, facing in the opposite direction, his cries seemed to echo louder in the back seat of the car.

I always thought it would be great to have some sort of assistant to tend to my son while I drive.  Nissan must have heard my cries because they came up with a solution.  Nissan has caught my attention when I came across this invention while reading DesignBoom .  Their creation of a robot companion is designed specifically to soothe and entertain children during car rides- just seems genius!   This fury stuffed animal  comes in a variety of colors and is absolutely adorable!  Red seems to the color that gets the attention of kids the most. It kind of reminds me of a puppet like Elmo.

Here's how it works:  a robot on the dashboard is paired with another fury robot called Baby Iruyo.   This fury robot friend sits in the back seat, facing the kid, and engages him with gestures and interactions, like throwing his arms in the air to get the kid to laugh.  Baby Iruyo is basically a distraction for him while providing comfort and entertainment.  I love that it doesn't require parents to move their attention away from the road. It's a game-changer, not just for the convenience, but for the peace of mind it brings to parents like myself.

There were studies conducted on the effectiveness of Baby Iruyo and the results were pretty impressive.  90% of babies were preoccupied by the robot and half of them showed an improvement in mood.  I think  Nissan's technology has the potential to transform the driving experience for families everywhere. Although my son is full grown and I will not be able to use this technology for him,  I will be able to use this or something better with my grand kids one day.

Naming your baby is such a special moment. There's lots of attention that goes into finding that just-right first name, but don't forget about the middle name. A great middle name can really make that baby's moniker. Actually, my first name, Anne, is a very popular middle name. But, I'm not too upset about it. So, what are the most popular middle names for babies?

There's a new study out from Baby-chick.com that lists the most popular middle names for babies. "While choosing the perfect first name for your child is essential, picking a middle name can be significant, too," the publication notes. "It can carry significance and become a huge part of their identity." You might want a traditional middle name, or you might want something more modern. To help, Baby-chick.com has put together a list of some very popular baby names for boys, girls and gender-neutral ones, too.

If you're wondering about the history of middle names, it began during medieval times. Moreover, according to Ancestry.com, for centuries in Europe, a legal name had just a first name and a surname or patronymic, and middle names became popular in late Medieval times. "In England, they were reserved for the nobility, with an old law making them illegal for the rest of the population," Ancestry.com states. "Since the Pilgrims and many early settlers came from England, early Americans followed the tradition of having only two names." They add that you can see this phenomena via the early Massachusetts birth records on Ancestry.com. Looking at the Boston data in their database, there were no middle names in the 1600s, but some middle names started showing up in the early 1700s. I personally love having a middle name. It adds character.

Let's get into the most popular middle names for babies. Maybe these will give you an idea if you're naming a little one soon.

10 Most Common Middle Names For Girls

My name is actually the most common middle name for girls. Should I be upset? Not sure, but I've always liked my name, so I'm not mad about it.

Here are the 10 most common middle names for girls via Baby-chick.com, and find their full list here.

1. Ann or Anne
2. Anna
3. Catherine
4. Elizabeth
5. Faith
6. Grace
7. Hope
8. Jane
9. Jean
10. Joy

10 Most Common Middle Names For Boys

Here are the 10 most common middle names for boys via Baby-chick.com, and find their full list here. These surprise me, because they do seem like popular first names, too.

1. Andrew
2. Anthony
3. Benjamin
4. Christopher
5. Daniel
6. Edward
7. Elijah
8. Henry
9. Jack
10. John

Cute middle names for girls and boys

Baby-chick.com also has some suggestions for "cute" baby middle names for boys and girls. The ones that top the list are Alice, Bella (love that one), Claire, Coco and Eloise for girls, and Beckett, Caleb, Connor, Easton and Hartley for boys.

Cool and unique baby middle names

The top three cool baby middle names for girls, according to Baby-chick.com, are Arya, Honor and Jade, while the top three cool baby middle names for boys are Ace, Ajax (never heard of it) and Apollo. The top three unique baby middle names for girls are Avalon, Birdie and Gratia, and the top three unique baby middle names for boys are Angelo, Ansel and Blaze.

Gender-neutral baby middle names

If you want to keep your baby's name gender-neutral, or if you don't want anyone to know the birth gender of your new baby secret up until the birth, then you might want to go with a gender-neutral name. The top five are Aubrey, Billie, Blake, Blue and Dakota. Find more ideas here.